An Introduction to Twentieth Century Music

For I consider that music is, by its very nature, essentially powerless to express anything at all, whether a feeling, an attitude
of mind, a psychological mood, a phenomenon of nature, etc. . . .
Expression has never been an inherent property of music. That
is by no means the purpose of its existence. If, as is nearly
always the case, music appears to express something, this is
only an illusion and not a reality. It is simply an additional
attribute which, by tacit and inveterate agreement, we have lent
it, thrust upon it, as a label, a convention--in short, an aspect
which unconsciously or by force of habit, we have come to confuse with its essential being. IGOR STRAVINSKY

At the outbreak of World War I in 1914, Stravinsky moved
to neutral Switzerland, where he lived for the next five
years. The war made great changes in his life, heretofore
singularly free from two problems that often plague young
composers--lack of money and lack of recognition. Now, the
revolution in Russia cut off his income and the disbanding
of the ballet meant that his music was no longer performed.
He lived quietly, recovered from a serious illness, and
worked on compositions that had little in common with the
prewar ballets that had brought him such quick fame.

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